Navigable aeroplane.



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a Jig ENTER 'elqrmfinmi M H M PATENTED APR. 30, 1907.

B. F. MIGKLBY.

NAVIGABLE AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13 1906 I5 C 20 7 zo l3 WITNESSES? PATENTED APR. 30, 1907.

B. P. MIOKLEY. NAVIGABLE AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION TILED MAY 13,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES NTUR /3 5. M

w. QWRNEH ings, is a full, clear,

the machine may the ground to any desired height, and then 1 'poism NAVIGABLE AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 30, 1907.

Application filed May 13, 1905. Serial No. 260,252.

To all whom it Meaty concern: e it known that I, BENJAMIN F. MrcKLEY,

' or. Seneca Falls, in the county of Seneca, in

- the State of New York,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Navigable Aeroplanes, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawand exact description. This invention relates to certain improvements in navigable aeroplanes, in which the essential object is to provide mechanism under the control of' the operator whereby be-lifted straight up from by t e same -means propelled in any diretion. v Another object is to render the machine dirigible by the same lifting and propelling mechanism so 'thatthe operator may readily ascend to greater altitudes, travel ona level, gradually to any desired location either against,-transversely of or with the jwind. Other objects relating to the specific conor descend struction and arrangement of the parts of the {machine will be brought out inthe following description.

o It will be observed upon reference to the following description that the invention reside's jmor herein described and illustrated in the accompanying" drawing for securing the counterand -manipulation of two or more -sets oppositel 'articularly in the novel means traveling planes or comparatively thin b ades which depend for their lfting and propelling poweri firstupon their anglefof impact with the air; second, their speed of travel whereby the force of such lmpact is increased or diminished, and third,

the relative angles or inclinations from a horizontal at which blades or planes are late the upward lift, horizontal travel and the oppositely traveling set or adjusted to regu- I have oblique ascension or descension.

' therefore, I illustrated but generally, and argely diagrammatically, the motive power and auxlliary steering mechanism, as the particular form of such motive power and auxiliary steering mechanism is immaterial, and may be of any form or type desired. the same being outside the'scope of the invention, as above'outlined.

In the drawingsFigures 1 and 2 are re-- spectively atop Ian and a side elevation of a navigable aero @ne embodying the features endless chain or be of my invention showin the lanes orbladc 's of each set as dis osed at't e same angle for lifting the mac ine vertically or straight a up from the ground. Figs. 3,4, and, ears sectional views taken respectively 'on' lineo 3 3, Fig. 1, and 44 and 55' Fig. 3, showing one set of planes in position for propelling the machine horizontally or at such dip or inclination as may be desired.

The means herein illustrated for carr 'ng out the objects stated consists ess of a comparatively light, yet rigid'sk' l frame 1 in which are, mounted opposite disposed pairs of upright rotary drums for receiving, supporting and actuating-a pair of endless traveling carriers--Z -.j each of which is provided 'Witlraplurality'or series ,of substantially fiat thinplanes' fi blades 4 and 4. The frame 1 is made'iofs ltable',

and tenacious metal, such-astubifla1?isteel jaluminium of skeletonstructiiregada te'dft'o present a minimum resistances ace the air'during-the'ascension and propulsion of the machlne andiprefer'ably --comprises lower and upper substantially;f-horizontal parallel decks 6 and f'6"' ',which are E spaced apart and rigidly 'heldin this relation by a series of (inthis instance four) vertical, 'j sustaining posts or columns 8 upon which the drums 2 are j ournaled'. These; sustaining posts or columns 8' are,therefore, parallel and of equal length or height and are located at the corners of an imagin'ary rectangular parallelogram, thereby'retaining the drums 2 inSi milar relation between the decks 6 and 6'.

The drums 2 are preferably of the same diameter and each lncludes a pair of Y sprocket or equivalent wheels 9 which are spaced apart vertically and are retained in this relation by a sleeve 10 of relatively small diameter to permit the oppositely moving blades or lanes to travel closeto each other, leavin on y sufficient clearance to avoid friction each other or with the sleeve. thereby enabling the parts to be brought into close compact relation.

It is now obvious that there are two pairs of sprockets 9'at each side of and e ui- I05 distant from the center of the machine isposed in parallel planes one above the other and those of each air are connected by an l t-l 1- constituting one of the carriers 3, whereby positive rno- I10 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFioE;

- tracksor guides 12 forming parts of the lower and upper decks of the main supporting frame. It, therefore, follows that each carrier 3 is guided upon and between two parallel endless tracks having their ends concentric with the axes of their respective urums to prevent sagging or displacement of the carriers and to resist the weight and inrpact of the blades against the air while in o eration, each track being of substantially t e same length and following the line of travel of its carrier 3.

The lower and upper decksof the main frame are further braced and tied together fore and aft at the longitudinal center of the machine by additional brace bars .14'

and sustaining posts -15, thelatte"i"con-' sisting of rotary screws, one at each end of the machine for adjusting and supporting a vertically adjustable slotted intermediate deck 16 having a pair of tracks 16 which are disposed 'in the same horizontal plane between and in vertical alinement with the tracks or guides 12"of the lower and upper decks and serve as a means for adjusting the angle of inclination of the lower series of blades 4 presently described. The

central horizontal portions of the inner or adjacent sides of the tracks 16 are de= ressed in a plane below that of their outer ongitudinal sides and ends and are preferably formed with lengthwise slots registering with similar slotsin the deck 16 in which are movable the opposite lengthwise'si des of an auxiliaryyertically adjustable track '17. This latter auxiliary track 17 is adjust- .able vertically independently of the tracks 16 of the intermediate deck to regulate the angle of the rearwardly traveling blades or planes, and is, therefore, mounted atlit's ends upon vertical adjusting screws f1'8 which in turn, are ournaled in and'rise from the lower deckvoi the main supporting frame midway or in substantially its horizontalcenter and are connected by a suitable chain or belt 19- or. equivalent device whereby the same rotary motion is transmitted to bothvscrews simultaneously. In like "manner the threaded-posts or screws 15",'are connected for simultaneous rotation by means of a chain or similar device 20 to raise and lower the tracks 16 it being transmitted from one to the understood that the ends of the intermediate deck 16 and also the ends of the auxiliary track 17 are formed with threaded apertures for receiving and engaging their respective adjusting screws 15and 18..

The blades or planes 4 of the upper tier or series are preferably fixed to their respective u riglht tie bars 13 of carriers 3' wit1 t eir advancin ends tilted or inclined upwardly at a sli t angle from a horizontal so that when they are actuated in the direction indicated by arrows m at a greater or less speed of travel'their im act with the air will produce a certain li ting power (depending upon the angle and speed of the blades) tending to lift the machine straight up from the ground and to sustain it in a horizontal position while-traveling through the air.

The blades 4 of the lower tier or series are loosely or pivotally attached to their respective tie bars 3 and' are, therefore, tiltable to different angles with their advan'c-- ing ends inclined upwardly and their rear ends trailing or riding upon the tracks 16' and 17 and spring-pressed downwardly by suitable.springs--21- to exert an additional liftingpower or to propel the machine horiiontally after being lifted to the desired hei r t.

ft will be observed that the blades or planes 4' and 4 on the inner or ad-v j acent sides of the carriers travel in one direction while those on the outer sides of thecarriers move in the opposite direction and it is, therefore, apparent that if all of the planes-of each series were maintained at the same angle and caused to travel at a suitable speed the machine would be lifted directly upward by reason of the fact that a substantially equal'numler of blades inclining in opposite directions are traveling in opposite directions,

and therefore, the power exerted to lift one end of the machine is balanced by an equal power lifting upon the opposite end, thus poising the machine and lifting it straight up to' any desired altitude, the speed of.elevation or descent teing governed by the speed of travel and angle'of the blades of the lower series as regulated by the adjustment of the intermediate deck or tracks '16 through the medium of the screws 1 5. When the machine is thus brought to the desired altitude, it may be propelled or navigated horizontally through the air by simply lower 'ing the track or rails 1 7 which is. eiiected by the operator through the medium of the chain 19 and screws -18, thereby causing the blades or planes 4f on the inner adjacent sides of the carrier 3 to be tilted to a greater angle from a horizontal than those at the outer sides of the carrier, it being understood that the trailing end of each blade or plane 3- is held by its the machine in-a direction of travel t-o r spring .21 in engagement with the rails the tiltable planes may be quickly and easily -16 and 17 so that when said-rails adjusted at anytime by then erator to mainare lowered the advance blades are thrown upwar' the rails are elevated the ends of the tilting ly and that when blades are moved toward ahorizontal position against the ac-- tion of their respective springs. It is now obvious that by further tilting the blades or planes 4. of the lower tiers on the inner or adjacent sides of the carriers 3 travelingin one direction so that theiradvance 5 endsincline upwardly at a greater angle than ,the blades of the u sametiers on the outer sides of the earnerstraveling in the opposite d1rect1on,.the resultant excessive impact of theinner blades against the air will propeldirection opposite to the of the inner or adjacent sides of the carriers remaining blades being-disposed at a less angle will operate to maintain the machine at the desired. altitude. Or by adjusting the .angle of the blades 4 on the outer-sides of the carriers to a greater or less angle the matrol all the mechanism that It will also be chine will be; caused :to ascend or descend at .the will'ofzthe' operator bysimply raising or lowering the track 1.6"- through the medium ofjthe screws =-15- and connecting chain 20.

' Any suitable motive power "may be employ-ed for drivmg the'rotai y drums 2-, b ut as do not claim any specific form of motive power, I llustrate the same in Fig. 2 only for the purpose ofshowing a driving means, and I do not lay claim to any of the matter shown in said view in sofar as it relates to the motive power.- As illustrated in said view a comparatively narrow platform A is suitably suspended from the frame of the aeroplane having a suitable guard-railing, and on this platform is placed a motor or motors B provided with a chain wheel C in alinement with the chain wheels 22- on the sleeve 10 of the drum 2, and over which a drive chain is adapted to be conducted. From his osition on this platform A, the operator wi 1 be able to conoperates the air ship, such as the screws employed for adj ustin the angle of the aeroplanes etc.

It will be .observed that by driving the car rier and its aeroplanes at one side at a greater rate of s eed than those at the other side I am enab ed to guide the machine in any direction, in which case, it would be necessary 7 to drive each carrier by a separate motor.

seen that by providing separate adjustable tracks for the inner and outer sets of planes or blades traveling in opposite directions the machine is rendered navigable and dirigible under all conditions of. calm or wind either against a strong head wind or moving with or across swift currents of air by reason of the fact that the planes travelare tilted oppositely to ing in one direction those traveling 1n the reverse d rection and 'trol being oh and at the same time the tam the equipolse of the mac ine, such convious upon a careful consideration of the-travel -and"adjustability of the planes.

The operation of my invention is'clearly set forth in the foregoing description, and while "I have shown only two" tiers of blades or planes andmeans for'simultaneously adjusting the ends of the tracks 16 and '17, I

reserve the right to employ anynumber' of tiers of planes and to use any means for tilting said planes to the same or different angles at any point in their travel and to'adjust either end of either track independently; I also reserve the right to connect the blades of two or more tiers so-that they, may be tilted at the same time in case I employ several tiers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim anddesire to' secure Letters' Pait- '1.- An aeroplane comprising a comparatively light'supportirigframe, two sets of rier, the planes on one sideof each carrier traveling in'o'pposite directions and inclined in opposite directions, 'to' the planes on" the opposite "side whereby the longitudinal thrust of counterbalanced bythat of those traveling in the-reverse direction, thereby lifting the machine bodily by their impact with the air, and meansto actuatesaid planes;

2. An aeroplane comprising a supporting frame, two sets of planes each set mountedonan-endless carrier and the planes at one side of each carrier inclined and traveling in reverse directions and actuating means therefor, each set comprising two series of planes, those of one series being tiltable to different angles toward and from a horizontal osition, and means to vary the angle of inc ination of the tiltable blades whereby the machine may first be lifted in the air and then propelled.

3. An aeroplane comprising two independent carriers, the carriers having on the1r opposite sides reversely inclined and oppositely traveling planes, a supporting frame those traveling in one direction is 3 .99 planes eachset mounted on an endless car' therefor, and means to move said carriers in reverse directions, each carrier being provided with two series of planes one above the other, and traveling in the same direction said planes having their advance ends elevated above their trailing ends.

4. An aeroplane comprising a main supporting frame, a plurality of" endless carriers mounted on vertlcal axes and having planes on one side traveling in one direction, other planes carried by the opposite sides of the carriers and traveling in a reverse direction, said planesbeing adjustable to and from a horizontal position, separate driving means zontal position.

for said carriers, and additional means to adjust the planes to and from a horizontal posihorizontal, and means to actuate the carriers.

6. An aeroplane comprising a su porting frame, two endless carriers mounted in and upon said frame, a series of planes rigidly attached to each of said carriers to move therewvith, a second series of planes movably mounted on each carrier, and means for tilting the movable planes to and from a hori- 7. An aeroplane comprising a supporting frame and two endless carriers revolubly mounted thereon side by side on vertical shafts, means to actuate the carriers whereby ad acent sides are caused to move 1n the same direction, and a series of planes mounted on each carrier to travel therewith, said planes having their advancing ends tilted upwardly whereby those traveling in opposite directions exert an equal upward lift upon the machine by impact with the air.

8. An aeroplane comprising a supporting frame and two endless carriers re volubly mounted thereon side by side, a series of planes fixedly attached to each carrier and aving their advancing ends inclined upwardly, a second series of planes mounted on each carrier and having their advancing ends tiltable upwardly to and from a horizontal position, means to revolve the carriers, and separate means to adjust the advancing ends of the planes of the second series.

9. An aeroplane gginprising a comparaof vertically disposed drums revo ubly mounted on the frame, an endless traveling carrier, mounted upon and actuated by eapair of drums, two series of planes mounteu on each carrier one above the other, means to rotate the drums to cause the adjacent sides of said carriers and the planes thereon to series being adjustable toward and from a horizontal position, and means to adjust said adjustable planes to different angles during the revolutlon of the carriers.

10. An aeroplane com rising a frame, a pair of endless tracks adjustable vertically on the frame, means to adjust said tracks, endless carriers revolubly mounted on the frame, one for each track,-and a series of inclined lanes attached to and actuated by each of the carriers and trailing u on said tracks, whereby the adjustment of t e tracks varies the inclination of the planes.

11. An aeroplane comprising aframe and revoluble endless carriers mounted side byside on the frame, means to actuate the carriers whereby their adjacent sides are caused to clined lanes on each carrier and traveling therewi-th,-- an" adjustable track operable to vary the inclination of the planes while tra'veling, and means to adjust said-track.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of May 1.905.

BENJAMIN F. MIGKLEY. Witnesses:

A. S. POLLARD, JOHN H. OBRIEN.

move in the same direction, the planes of one travel in the same direction, a series ofin-- tively light supporting'frame, opposite -l1'S"4o-- 

